-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Wise men say to look before you leap . In Alaska , it 's advisable to look before you land .

That 's because , in Alaska , where seaplanes are common , you just might land on a whale .

Last week in tiny , remote Angoon , Thomas Hamm was shooting video of a seaplane coming in for a landing .

It was a mundane scene in the island community that 's only accessible by boat or seaplane .

The video starts out normal . But as the plane lowers , it 's clear something is different about this approach .

`` All the sudden , the pilot advanced the throttle and I did n't know why . I thought , ` Oh something must be wrong , ' '' Hamm told CNN .

That something was a whale , a humpback , swimming just under the surface .

For a moment , it appeared the whale and plane would collide .

But the pilot pulled up , getting just enough lift to avoid the mammal .

The plane landed safely seconds later .

Later Hamm showed the pilot the video he shot .

Hamm said the pilot told him he did n't notice the whale ; he reacted to the commotion on the shore . Guys were pointing and yelling .

Right as the pilot pulled up , the whale breached , clearing his blowhole and drenching the plane 's windshield .

That 's one way to make a splash .

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The whale was swimming just under the surface

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It happened in tiny , remote Angoon